What is Courage?
by KH Love Always
Summary: What does courage mean? What does it lead to? What is Riku's courage? ----- A Riku and Kairi Fic. One-shot.


Hey readers! This is my first fanfiction, and it's a oneshot. Of course, it's on Kingdom Hearts!

After you read, please give me some feedback, positive or negative! I'm sure I have much to learn about writing fanfiction, so it would be nice to know more. Thanks so much, and enjoy!

Also, kotobaka, since you asked for a RikuxKairi fic, this first one is for you. Hope you like it!

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, and I do not own any of the characters in it either.**_

***~ What is "Courage"? ~***

Kairi skipped down to the beach-side dock with her tote bag in hand. The day was abnormally cool for mid-June, but it was just how Kairi liked it. When Kairi arrived, she climbed into the boat and untied the ropes. However, as she was about to push the boat away from the dock, she heard a voice.

"Kairi! Wait!" Kairi looked up, and smiled when she saw who it was.

Riku was running as fast as he could to the boat, with his sports bag in hand. When he slowed down at the dock, Kairi blushed at Riku's physical changes since he and Sora came back home to Destiny Islands two weeks before. His silver hair grew longer and swayed as the light island breeze blew past them. He also grew taller by a foot since she saw him a year ago, and his arm muscles were lean and very well defined. He towered over her when he stood on the dock.

"Do you have room to let me in?" Riku asked.

Kairi blushed even more before replying, "Sure. Where's Sora?"

"He's on a field trip with his biology class. They're going to see open heart surgery."

Kairi scrunched her face up. "Ew. Who would want to see that?"

Riku grinned and replied, "It shouldn't be a problem for Sora. Heartless are more grotesque anyway."

"True. Anyway, jump in. Let's go together."

Riku smiled as he climbed swiftly into the boat. He then grabbed another pair of oars, and they rowed their way to the little island.

They were silent for almost the entire ride, until Kairi caught Riku staring at her.

"Riku?"

Riku then looked away. "Yeah?"

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Riku started.

Kairi smiled at him. "Good! Yay we're here!"

They climbed off the boat and walked towards the beach near the little shack. Kairi then pulled out a book.

"Kairi," Riku asked. "What're you reading?"

"You really want to know, Riku?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" he replied.

Kairi skipped ahead, and then turned around while grinning. "You're not going to like the subject," she sang out loud.

"Just tell me already," Riku said.

"Philosophy!"

Riku gave her a weird look as he pulled out his swimming trunks from his sports bag.

"Philosophy? You like that useless subject?"

"It's awesome!" Kairi replied. "There are so many questions that are asked, but there is never straight answer for any of them. Isn't that fascinating?"

"Boring."

"It's not boring! You're just a party-pooper!" Kairi answered and stuck out her tongue.

Riku smirked and took off his shirt. "Suit yourself. I'm going for a swim." He then walked into the little shack to change.

Kairi blushed at his ripped six-pack as she yelled, "Fine, be that way!" She stomped over to the beach and sat on the sand as she started reading her philosophy book. After two minutes, Riku came out of the shack and jogged over to her.

"Are you sure you don't want to swim with me, Kairi?" he asked.

"Yup. This book is too good. I want to finish it by today. Please?" Kairi pouted.

"Fine. You girls think too much," Riku replied and smirked.

"Boys are too dense. Go off and swim," Kairi shooed him away.

"Okay, okay, I'm leaving. Have fun reading about Pluto," he grinned.

"It's PLATO!!"

Riku laughed out loud as he dived into the ocean.

***--KH--***

After an hour, it was dusk, and Riku climbed out of the water. Kairi was still engrossed in her book.

"Hey," Riku said as he sat down beside Kairi. "Ready to go now?"

Kairi looked up from her book and smiled as she saw Riku, with dripping silver hair and glistening light-tan skin, sitting next to her. "Not yet," she replied. "Can we sit here for a few more minutes?"

"No problem."

Kairi grinned as she closed her book and put it inside her bag. They both stared out into the setting sun as the temperature dropped a little more. Later, Kairi spoke up.

"Riku?"

He looked at her, bright blue-green eyes looking over her delicate facial features.

"Have you ever thought of what courage is?"

Riku looked back out at the ocean and replied, "Well, courage is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain…"

"That's not what I meant," Kairi mumbled.

Riku stopped. "Well then what do you mean?"

Kairi's blue-purple eyes turned to his blue-green ones. She smiled and asked, "What is courage to you?"

Riku thought for a moment before answering, "When I subdued the darkness in my heart."

Kairi's eyes began to water. Riku was revealing a vulnerable side to him, and Kairi couldn't help but feel his pain and regrets. She reached out his hand for his, and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Riku, you know what courage is to me?" she asked. Her voice cracked.

He saw two long rivulets run down her face, and he wiped them away with his left hand as he put his right arm over her shoulder and hugged her close. "Kairi, don't cry. I'm sorry I said that."

"It's not that."

Riku pulled her closer and looked at her. "Do you want to tell me, then?"

Kairi breathed in Riku's ocean scent as she said, "I don't know how to start. So many things mean courage to me. There are only two that mean the most to me though."

"What are they?" Riku asked.

"Courage was when Sora stabbed his own heart to save mine. He knew that he would be a heartless, and he knew that there was a chance he will never come back. But, it was also when you used the darkness to turn Roxas in to DiZ."

"How is that courage?" he asked.

"You knew that you would look like Ansem, and you knew that there was a chance you could never turn back into the Riku that I know. You did this so you could try to save Sora, and me, too," Kairi said as her eyes watered again. "Also, you had courage all on your own to save your friends and help save the world, even if they didn't know you were doing it."

"But," Riku started, "I let the darkness take over me. How is that something to atone for? I caused Sora all these problems. I shouldn't be forgiven…"

"Stop it," Kairi exclaimed. "Just stop! Don't you get it?"

Riku hugged her. "Please tell me," his voice cracked. "Tell me."

Kairi took a long breath before starting, "Courage is also what you said. You had the strength to get yourself back to what you were. Sure, Ansem manipulated you, and you were in the darkness for a while. But, isn't coming back to the light what counts? You had the courage to come back, right?"

Riku smiled as he wiped more of Kairi's tears off from her face. He whispered in her ear, "But you know why I had the courage to do what I did?"

Kairi looked at him again. "Why?"

Riku looked at her thoughtfully before saying, "One reason was that I wanted everything back to the way it was. Just you, me, and Sora, hanging out every day like you used to. But, the biggest reason was you."

Kairi looked surprised. Riku's gaze locked onto hers as he continued.

"It doesn't matter that you are a Princess of Heart. Your laughs, your humor, your weirdness, and your kindness all made me want to come back to you."

"Riku…"

"When I was in the darkness, I realized that I wanted to come back to the light for you. I didn't know if you would forgive me, but I was able to come back with you in my mind."

"But…"

"Kairi, can I get this out? I want you to know something…"

Kairi nodded and held his hand.

"I might've been too stupid to know sooner, but I love you. I tried to impress you, but those were childish antics and I…"

Riku never finished, since Kairi kissed him softly on the lips. When she pulled away, she said:

"Riku, I love you too."

"You do?"

"I always have. I didn't care that you tried to impress me. But you know what another part of courage in my eyes is?"

Riku smiled as he hugged her close. "What is it?"

"You had the courage to tell me you love me. It's all I wanted. Thank you."

"Don't thank me, Kairi. Loving someone is natural, right? Let's go back now," Riku said as he pulled Kairi up from the sand.

As the two of them walked back to the dock on the little island, and as Riku had one arm around her skinny shoulders, Kairi hugged her philosophy book tight, and one thought crossed her mind:

"_Thank you for bringing me to Riku."_

Later when they arrived back on the mainland, they snuggled on the dock for a few more minutes and shared another sweet kiss as the last of the sun's rays drifted out of the horizon.

***--- The End ---***

_**Well, I hope you guys liked the story. It has more of an innocent side to it, but I hope it's okay. Please review! Once there are 5 reviews, I'll write another fanfic! Thanks again!**_

_**xoxo KH Love Always**_


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